Improved chair-seat



@Sluiten gisten' strat titre.

Letters Patent No. 77,228, dated April 28, 1868; fmteelatecl April 6, 1868.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Y

Be it known that I, G. A. WATKINS, of Proctorsville, in the county of Windsor, and State of Vermont, have invented a new and useful Improvement on Chair and other Seats or Bottoms, ot which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this speci cation, and in which-- Figure 1 represents a top view of a chair-seat constructed according tomy improvement,

Figure 2 a transverse section of the same through the line s s iu tig. 1, and

Figure 3 a horizontal section thereof through the line-x :a iu g. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding partsthroughout the'several gures.

This, myimprovement, has reference to the manufacture of what are known as splint-chair'and other seats, such as are made up of single thicknesses of strips woven together and secured at their ends to the frame, and my invention consists in a novel construction of the frame, and combination of partsfor holding the splints at their ends, by, cutting strips from the face side and along the outer edges ofthe frame, o r the bars of which it is composed, so'as to form a step-shaped recess or rabbet around`tl1e outer edge of the frame, and afterwards using the strips cut from the frame, in connection with an outside baud or hoop, to hold the splints at their ends in a bent form 'corresponding to the rabbet, by which construction various advantages, as hereinafter set forth, are obtained.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, A represents the bars, or seat-frame which they compose, united at their ends, where they form a close angular joint, by'keys, B, or otherwise suitably constructed. Around the outer edge oihsnch or other frame, on the face-side of it, or the bars of which it is composed, I cut a rabbet, a, by, for each bar, two saw-cuts at right angles to cach other, so as to form separate strips, C, the kerfs` formed in making which give room for the ends of the splints D, when bent, and secured or held, by replacement of the strips C, over and on the interposed splint ends, tothe places from which said strips were cut in the hars of the frame, and afterwards the whole held together by driving on an iron hoop or band, E, substantially as represented in fig. 2 0? the drawing, said hoop being made either whole or divided, and of any suitable shape in its cross-section. I

The splints D are preferably composed of one-grain or years growth of tough wood of suitable width and thieknessfand woven together, with their ends suiciently projecting beyond the web'to admit of their being bent into'double-step form', and secured bycrowdingror pressing the strips C and hook E to their places. By this construction of seat the splints, it will be perceived, are most firmly secured at their ends without glue, or insertion of their ends in grooves more or less liable to be illed with dust, vthey being locked, not by an independent frame, hut by thc loose strips cut out of thoone or main-frame, which avoids waste of material, and

the kerts formed in making which allow for tho thickness of the splints; so that ori-fitting' to its place the outv sido band or hoop, E, a gripe or hold is formed on the splint-ends, both vertically and horizontally, which prevents nll possibility of displacement without first ltaking olf the hoop, that may, it" desired, along with the strips C, bc secured to the frame by screws. But these are not all or the most prominentadvantages, as such a construction of the chair-seat i's attendant with but little expense, while it atolids the greatest security, not only as regards the holding of the splints, but by the general strength given to the frame through the hoop E, that scrvcs the double purpose of securing, through the intervention ofthe strips C, the web or ends ot" the splints, and strengthening the -seat generally. While 'by such construction all projecting cutting-edges are or may be avoided, the splints lie easy on or over the face ofthe frame-which prevents cutting at their end-lock or locks, and all exposure of their ends or junction of them to the frame is avoided, the construction Agiving a neat and finished aspect to the seat. f I

What is here claimed and desired to be secured'by Letters Patent, is

A chair or other seat or bottom constructed substantially as described, ont' a web of splints D, secured at their ends by means of a. rabbet, a, made in and around the face of the traine' A, in combination with the strips C, held to their places by a strengthening-band or hoop. E, essentially as specified.' A i f G. i A. WATKINS,

Witnesses:

J. W. Coeurs,

A. Ln CLERC. 

